Configure a JDBC API for database stress testing - Performance Testing

When you need to performance-test database operations such as queries, inserts, updates, or deletes, use a JDBC API in Performance Testing (PTS) to send SQL statements directly to your database under simulated load. This topic describes how to set up the database connection, credentials, and SQL configuration for a JDBC test scenario.

PTS supports the following database types: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, and SQL Server.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that you have:

Access to the PTS console
The endpoint, port, and database name for your target database instance
A database account with the permissions required by your SQL statements

Create a JDBC test scenario

Log in to the PTS console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Performance Test > Create Scenario, and then click PTS.
Delete the default HTTP API and add a JDBC API.

Configure the basic request parameters. For parameter descriptions, see the parameter table below.

JDBC basic request configuration

The following table describes the parameters.

Parameter	Description	Example
API Name	A name that identifies the service definition of the API. Maximum length: 20 characters.	`API-1`
Database Type	The type of database to connect to. Valid values: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, and SQL Server.	MySQL
Database URL	The database connection string in the format `<host>:<port>/<database_name>`. See Database URL format below.	`rm-bp1xxxxxxx.mysql.rds.aliyuncs.com:3306/mydb`
Username	The username for database authentication.	`test_user`
Password	The password for database authentication.	`your_password`
SQL	The SQL statement to run. Must start with `SELECT`, `UPDATE`, `INSERT`, or `DELETE` (case-insensitive). See SQL statement guidelines below.	`select * from test_users;`
Timeout Duration	The maximum time, in milliseconds, that PTS waits for a response from the database server.	`5000`
limit	The maximum number of rows to read from the result set. Applies only to `SELECT` statements. Maximum value: 1,000,000.	`1000`

Database URL format

The Database URL combines the host address, port number, and database name into a single connection string. Use the format for your database type:

Database type	Default port	Example URL
MySQL	3306	`rm-bp1xxxxxxx.mysql.rds.aliyuncs.com:3306/mydb`
PostgreSQL	5432	`pgm-bp1xxxxxxx.pg.rds.aliyuncs.com:5432/mydb`
MariaDB	3306	`rm-bp1xxxxxxx.mariadb.rds.aliyuncs.com:3306/mydb`
SQL Server	1433	`rm-bp1xxxxxxx.sqlserver.rds.aliyuncs.com:1433/mydb`

Replace the placeholders with your actual values:

Placeholder	Description	Example
`<host>`	The endpoint or IP address of your database instance	`rm-bp1xxxxxxx.mysql.rds.aliyuncs.com`
`<port>`	The port number (use the default port or a custom port if configured)	`3306`
`<database_name>`	The name of the target database	`mydb`

Note: The port numbers shown above are defaults. If your database uses a custom port, replace the port number accordingly.

SQL statement guidelines

The SQL field accepts statements that begin with one of the following keywords (case-insensitive):

Keyword	Operation	Example
`SELECT`	Query data	`select * from test_users where status = 'active';`
`INSERT`	Add records	`insert into test_users (name, email) values ('test', 'test@example.com');`
`UPDATE`	Modify records	`update test_users set email = 'new@example.com' where id = 1;`
`DELETE`	Remove records	`delete from test_users where id = 1;`

Load testing considerations

Set the limit parameter for SELECT statements. Large result sets during load testing consume memory and can skew performance metrics. Set limit to a value appropriate for your test scenario.
Use realistic SQL statements. Write statements that reflect actual production queries, including WHERE clauses and joins, to get meaningful performance data.
Monitor timeout values. If your SQL statements involve large tables or heavy joins, increase the Timeout Duration to avoid false failures during load tests.